A mother was racially abused by a dog walker after her child was chased by the pet in a Seaford park.

The woman, who did not wish to be named, was with her nine-year-old son at Salts Recreation Ground in Richmond Road, Seaford, when her child was chased by a small dog that was barking at him.

When the 38-year-old woman asked the owner of the dog to control the animal, she was met with racist abuse.

She said: “I said can you please hold your dog and she said the children were jumping, but we were in a children’s play park.

“Then she started saying you go back to your own country, you don’t belong here, go back where you came from.

“It was really a shock. She was so vile to my face.”

The incident happened at about 7.45pm on August 6. The woman was described as white, aged 50 to 60 and of medium build.

She had bobbed, brown, highlighted hair, blue eyes and was wearing a white t-shirt with a Mickey Mouse print on it and a black skirt. She had with her a small beige or cream fluffy dog.

The victim was not born in Britain but has lived in England for more than 20 years and has been married to her English husband for 15 years. Her son is English and in 2002 she became a British citizen.

She added: “I do consider this is my country. I work and pay my taxes here. How can someone just simply come and just say something like that to me?

“I have never sponged off anyone in this country. I have always contributed here.

“I wouldn’t want anyone to go through this. I hope more people realise it isn’t OK to treat someone like this.”

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting serial 1530 of August 6, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.